ROCKFORD ­­­— The historic significance of the former Rockford High School won’t prevent it from being razed for parking, provided the city can prove no developers are interested in saving the structure.

The city and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency have reached an agreement that allows the 130-year-old building at 201 S. Madison St., which most recently served as Rockford School District administration headquarters, to be turned into a parking lot to support a planned downtown sports complex.

Aldermen voted 10-0 Monday to approve the agreement. The building was vacated about two years ago when the district moved its headquarters to Seventh Street. The city doesn’t own the building but wants to obtain the property through an intergovernmental agreement with the district.

The deal with the agency allows the city to move forward with plans to convert the former Ingersoll building along the Rock River into a sports complex. But there are several other requirements and environmental studies the city must perform before it can raze the former school building and portions of the Rockford Watch Co. factory, 325 S. Madison St., to make way for parking.

Both the school building and the watch factory are considered supporting structures of the Haight Village Historic District, according to the agency. That status doesn’t prevent demolition, but does require several steps before the structure can be razed.

If the city wants to tear down the school building, it needs to first reach out to developers who may be interested in its redevelopment. It also needs to document the architecture of the building with interior and exterior photos, floor plans and a written description of its historical context for archiving in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library.

The agreement says the city must work with the agency on the future plans for the building for a maximum of six months before moving forward. But the city can begin its work to redevelop the Ingersoll property in the meantime. That’s if the City Council approves the funding for Ingersoll’s construction.

“What it may do is cause the council to be hesitant to proceed with the project with that element of parking still unresolved,” Ald. Tim Durkee, R-1, said of the chances for the agreement to hold up the sports complex development.

The city plans to demolish portions of the watch factory building that were built after 1930. The original building dates back to the late 19th century. It provided employment for Haight Village residents, was an integral part of the community and is a good example of industrial Italianate architecture, said Anne Haaker, deputy state historic preservation officer.

The city plans to keep the original brick watch factory building intact and eventually redevelop it into loft, office or commercial space.

Page 2 of 2 - Aldermen balked at plans to purchase the watch factory for $580,000 last year, but seven new members — half of the City Council — have taken office since then. City administration plans to present a new proposal to purchase the building later this year.